Prime Minister Boris Johnson is further tightening existing restrictions in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the UK.

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Geoff Pugh // SIPA

Curfew at 10 p.m. for pubs, return to telecommuting ... British Prime Minister Boris Jonhson on Tuesday tightened the restrictions in force to contain a coronavirus epidemic reaching a "dangerous turning point" and avoid the use of "more drastic" measures .

Accused of having worsened the toll of the pandemic by delaying decreeing containment in March, the head of the conservative government announced to Parliament a series of new restrictions aimed at reversing, without total containment, the recent increase in contamination, with almost 5,000 more cases registered on Tuesday.

Pubs, bars and restaurants will have to close at 10 p.m. from Thursday in England.

Only table service will now be authorized.

" We have to act "

"I'm sorry this is affecting a lot of companies that are just getting back on their feet, but we need to act," Boris Johnson pleaded to MPs, warning that it would "inevitably have to be more drastic" if no progress is made. was found.

After having encouraged the population to return to work to help revive the economy, the government has changed its position and asks to work from home when possible.

He also postponed the public's return to sporting events which was scheduled for next month.

The wearing of compulsory masks will be extended to employees of shops, bars and restaurants, and the penalties will be tightened.

Violation of the rules on wearing a mask or on gatherings - limited to 6 people - will be punishable by a fine of 200 pounds (218 euros).

If necessary, the army can be called in to reinforce the police, warned Boris Johnson, accentuating the hardening of the tone of the authorities who had privileged pedagogy to repression in the spring.

Visits prohibited

The most bereaved country in Europe with nearly 42,000 dead, the United Kingdom is currently seeing contaminations "double every seven days", running the risk of tens of thousands of cases in the coming weeks, health authorities warned on Monday .

Boris Johnson's announcements are for England only.

In Scotland, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already said that her province would not only follow England, but also that it would go further in the "tougher" restrictions.

Visits to other homes will be banned from Wednesday, she told the local parliament, as is already the case in several parts of Northern Ireland or Wales where local restrictions are in place .

Nicola Sturgeon warned that these measures could be "in place for six months", as also indicated by Boris Johnson.

She did not rule out severe confinement during the fall school holidays, if the number of new contaminations remained high.

Reduce social contact

The restrictions on pubs angered the restaurant industry, which was badly affected by the crisis.

When asked in Askrigg, in the north of England, the owner of the Kings Arms pub, Lisa Wright, said she was especially relieved to have escaped harsher measures.

"There is a lot of speculation in the sector on a possible confinement, it's very scary," she underlines, explaining that she has already adapted her establishment to the health context.

“When people are drunk, they do not respect distances,” notes Laurence Sassoon, 48, met in central London.

Several scientists have defended this measure as making it possible to reduce social contact, and in particular at a time when the blood alcohol level can affect compliance with barrier gestures.

If he supports the new restrictions, Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer lambasted the Prime Minister's strategy, saying he lacked "clear leadership" in this period of "national crisis".

Local restrictions have already increased in recent weeks and the government hopes to only resort to national containment as a last resort with devastating consequences for an economy already severely affected by the containment of the first wave.

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